1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup system including an endoscope provided with an image pickup device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, endoscopes provided with an image pickup device have been widely used in medical fields and industrial fields.
A technique for configuring an endoscope system has been known, in which a signal processing apparatus, what is called a processor, is detachably connected to an endoscope and configured to perform various kinds of signal processing related to the endoscope.
Furthermore, in such a kind of endoscope system, an example is known in which synchronization signal generation means for display control of an endoscopic image is provided on a processor side, and a generation section for generating a synchronization signal for operation of the image pickup device is disposed at a distal end portion of an endoscope insertion portion.
In this example, means for generating a synchronization signal for operation of the image pickup device disposed at the distal end portion of the endoscope insertion portion includes a function for receiving an external synchronization signal from the synchronization signal generation section on the processor side and making the internal synchronization signal follow the external synchronization signal.
In this case, a cable for connecting the synchronization signal generation means disposed at the distal end of the endoscope insertion portion and the processor has relatively long length (Regarding a transmission example of a synchronization signal, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-45113).
In the above-described example, the means for generating a synchronization signal for the operation of the image pickup device is provided on the distal end portion side of the endoscope insertion portion, and another means for generating a synchronization signal, which is different from the one disposed on the distal end side of the endoscope insertion portion, is provided also in the processor.